You Are Loved

These past few weeks have been the hardest of my mission. Being far from home from my family with Thanksgiving that has recently passed and the Christmas season coming up. I have been in the shoes that this song seems to describe. This song really seemed to describe how I have felt the past few weeks. Recently our music rule has been changed out here to include Josh Groban. So we went and bought a CD (my companion and myself). I have grown ot love this song. I listen to it alot when Im feeling down or whatever. This really describes how our Savior feels about all of us and especially me. When my hearts heavey he will lift it for me. That is a great thought. Take time to listen and read the lyrics to this song as it plays. It Is a really great song and has brought lots of peace to me lately.

The Power of Emma

This song really portrays what Emma Smith really went through. I never really knew how much pain and affliction she went through. She had some major trials that she had to work her way thorugh. Being the wife of a prophet was not easy. She lost many of her new born children. Would have her home broken into as mobs would come in and wrestle Joseph out of bed as they dragged him out to the street to spread tar over his body and beat him. Take a minute to stop and ponder this question: "How much can one heart take?" Put yourself in her shoes. Could you have done a better job with her challenges and circumstances. Could you honestly really handle it better? I personally believe that none of us ever could. She was called and she was chosen for this task of being the prophets wife. I know she never lived an ordinary life. Always there was something going on to disrupt her life. For everything she loved she had to pay a price. The struggles that she had to go through are far more harder then mine ever were. I know with out a doubt that she was chosen to be by Joseph's side.

The Story of the Sugar Beets

Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone related the following story.

During the terrible flu epidemic in the United States during the autumn of 1918, George Goates had lost four of his family members through death within six days.  Les and his brother, Floyd, were at that time serving in the army during World War I. 
“After breakfast dad (George Goates) said to my brother (Francis), ‘Well, son, we had better get down to the field and see if we can get another load of beets out of the ground before they get frozen in any tighter.  Hitch up and let’s be on our way.’ “Francis drove the four-horse outfit down the driveway and dad climbed aboard.  As they drove along the Saratoga Road (west of Lehi, Utah), they passed wagon after wagon-load of beets being hauled to the factory and driven by neighborhood farmers.  As they passed by, each driver would wave a greeting:  ‘Hi ya, Uncle George,’ ‘Sure sorry, George,’ Tough break, George,’ You’ve got a lot of friends, George.’ 
“on the last wagon was the town comedian, freckled-faced Jasper Rolfe.  He waved a cheery greeting and called out: ‘That’s all of ‘em, Uncle George.’ 
“My dad turned to Francis and said: ‘I wish it was all of ours.” 
“When they arrived at the farm gate, Francis jumped down off the big red beet wagon and opened the gate as we drove into the field.  He pulled up, stopped the team, paused a moment and scanned the field, from left to right and back and forth – and lo and behold, there wasn’t a sugar beet in the whole field.  Then it dawned upon him what Jasper Rolfe meant when he called out:  ‘That’s all of ‘em, Uncle George!’ 
“Then dad got down off the wagon, picked up a handful of the rich, brown soil he loved so much, and then in his thumbless left hand a beet top, and he looked up for a moment at these symbols of his labor, as if he couldn’t believe his eyes. 
“Then father sat down on a pile of beet tops – this man who had brought four of his loved ones home for burial in the course of only six days; made caskets, dug graves, and even helped with the burial clothing – this amazing man who never faltered, nor flinched, or wavered throughout this agonizing ordeal – sat down on a pile of beet tops and sobbed like a little child. 
“Then he arose, wiped his eyes with his big, red bandanna handkerchief, looked up at the sky, and said:  ‘Thanks, Father, for the elders of our ward.’”

This story is a wonderful story of love, and service. The neighbors around him knew what he was going through. They knew how bad he also needed this crop to get in. So they pitched in to make sure that they could get it all done for him. We get our greatest joy from serving others. We arnt focused on ourselves and our own personal needs but on the needs of those who might be struggling or going through a rough time. We are helping them lift theirselves up. We are showing our care, love and concern for them. Look around for opportunities to help others out. Go out of your way to lift and make someone elses day better. You might be surprized how much better your day is too!

Spiritual Vertigo

Vertigo is when a pilot loses his sense of up. It is a form of dizziness as well. Just as pilots experience vertigo so can our spirits. Our spiritual bodies can experience the same thing when we do things that are unrighteous. Drugs, alcohol, immorality, lack of prayers, etc are all ways that will take us one degree at a time to a destructive path. It only takes one degree to set us on a path for destruction. Spiritual vertigo. Let us not make this mistake. We can correct our course at any time.

The Testimony of Another



Brandon Flowers is the lead singer for a well known band named The Killers. I loved this video so much that I wanted to share it on my blog. He was raised up a member of The Church of Latter-Day Saints. He chose to have a family and to devote himself to one women whom he loved and to not throw himself around with multiple women as most rock stars do. So to me, I think he is a very good man. He is setting an example around others that live in a more immoral crowd. He was taught by his parents by example as well as by word. He wants to have that same happiness in his home that he had when he was growing up. Im sure under his circumstances its very hard to raise a family that way. But We all need to set the example so that those around us will want to become like us. I believe that he is trying to be that example too.

Unanswered Prayers are Blessings

While this song was written with a particular story in mind I have a new application. Listen carefully to the chorus. Sometimes we want certain results from prayers. However Heavenly father knows what is best for us. We see it as him not answering us but he knows whats best. When we have a loved one that is sick and we pray that that person can be healed and remain with us longer. Well what if that person was in so much more pain and misery being her in this life then in the next. Sometimes we need to just stop and thank God for unanswered prayers. When in disguise it is truely a blessing. I know things happen the way they do for a reason. It is in the plan for them to happen that way. Its not always wasy or fair to us but its part the plan. But I do know unanswered prayers are sometimes the answers we do need!

Christ is Permanent in Our Lives

 This song makes me think a lot of my Savior. He is always there for us no matter. He will never turn his back on us no matter what. He is permanent in our lives as long as we allow him to be! Its up to us. Im sure Heavenly father hated seeing him being crucified but he knew it was part of the plan and that it needed to happen. Christ is always here for us when we are ready to turn to him. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. Because of him and through him I can be forgiven of my mistakes! I know that I chose to follow him in the pre-existence.

Mighty Miracles

The Savior has performed many miracles in this world. He has healed many people. One example is healing those with lepracy. Back in the Biblical times when Christ was on the earth. Those with leprocy were shunned or cast out. They were looked down upon. They were mocked, persecuted, ignored, and ill-treated by others. There are many accountswhere Christ has compleately healed those with this disease. To me that is the greatest miracle of all. He curred the sick. He raised the dead, made the blind to see and the lame to walk. What a mighty man he was! The greatest miracle I have seen was me and my companion surviving the car crash that we just had. I know with my whole heart that I was being watched over, and protected from great harm and death. I do believe in Angels! That Heavenly Father has and uses angels to help him in his work.That they work under his control, and desires. My angel is very personal though. When I was 9 years old I lost my best friend in the world, my dad. It was summer and my older sisters, my mom, and myself were getting ready to gp out to a local lake. As we were preparing to leave we got a phone call from my dad. We told him our plans to go out to Twin Lakes. To our surprize he was getting off early and was going to join with us out there a little bit later. So he met up with us later as he arrived out there. To make a long story sgort he was floating out on the lake in a big tube without a lifevest on. The rest they say is history. It took the search and resue team along with the dive team with divers from Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming three days to locate his body at the bottom of the lake. As a 9 year old boy I was devastated. I lost the dearest thing in my life. I got so mad at my Heavenly Father for taking him away from me. It sounds silly to say but was true. I blamed him for the next 10 years of my life. As a missionary now, Im working on trying to seek forgivenessfrom my personal angeryou could say. So your all probally wondering why I'm sharing this story. This past week I have seen the the biggest miracle of my life. From the pictures of the car wreck, I should not even be alive! I should be dead and six feet under. I know that my Heavenly Father loves me! And I know that my dad was the angel thatwho carried or caught me from the ejection of the rolling car. I know he saved my life according to the great plan of our Heavenly Father. I know he still has a purpose for meon this life. I know this church is the restored church that Jesus Christ has established on this earth before. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet. That he was chosen of God torestore this church and to translate the plates into the  Book of Mormon we have today. I know that Joseph Smith experienced greater miracles then I have. I'm so thankful for the power of the Priesthood that has been restored to this earth through the church and through Joseph. I believe and testify of miracles. They are a way thatHeavenly Father shows us he still has a plan and purpose for us. And I say these things in the sacred name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Sacrifice

So I gave this training in District Meeting the other day. I would like to share it hear as well. It deals with sacrifice. 
What is Sacrifice? Is I thought about it the best thing I could come up with was this "sacrifice is to give up something we value for the sake of something of greater worth." So if we give up something we value, something that is near to us, we give it up for a greater good. We will get something better in return.

How have we made sacrifices in our lives? The few I came up with was these. First I gave up my friends and family for two years to come out here and serve the Lord for two years. It was a sacrifice for me becasue I love to go and do things with my friends. Love to go to movies and play games with them. Out here I dont get that privilage. Second I give up working in Alaska to be out here. I love Alaska. It is my favorite place. When Im up there I feel closer to heaven. Another example is not going out with friends on Sunday to help keep the Sabboth Day holy.  So have we not always got something better in return when we made these sacrifices by giving whatever thing we gave up? As members of the church we have the opportunity to sacrifice worldly things to build up the Kingdom of God. We should be willing to to make any sacrifice for the Lord.

Read Genesis 22:1-9. Its the story of Abraham. It took Abraham, who having developed great faith in Christ to be willing to sacrifice his only son Issac.  To literally sacrifice him. It takes faith to be able to sacrifice anything. So they go togehter hand in hand. Abraham proved faithful as he prepared to sacrifice his son. Thankfully he didnt actually have to do it, and proved his faithfulness to the Lord. Did he not receive anything greater for his willingness to make a sacrifice?

Another great sacrifice was of our Savior, Jesus Christ. He sacrificed his life so we could be able to repent and be forgiven of our mistakes and sins so we could be given the chance to be clean and to return to our Heavenly Fathers presence. That took great sacrifice to give up his life for his Fathers Kingdom. In the song Praise to the Man it has a line that I really like which is "sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven." I know that is true with all my heart. We are blessed from heaven when we make sacrifices.

I challenge us all to think of something we can sacrifice to give us stronger faith and help us further the work this transfer. I know that we are blessed as we make sacrifices in our lives. And that sacrifice will strenghten our faith. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Dont Stop Believing

I really love this song by Journey. It is a simple song. As does every song it can have many meanings. It can be taken so many ways with many messages in it. I shared a blog on hope awhile ago. So I want to finish it with this. This can be part two.

 We need to keep on believing. We can never give. We had a boy in our branch that just lost his father. I have also had that same experience. I know how easy it is to give up,  to quit believing in the church, or Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Satan knows how to get us to feel down and quit believing  in the things that we know we should be doing. But more importantly we must not give in to this. We need to hold on to the happy feelings that we have when we are doing right things and making right choices. This can be very hard in times of great trial but we can do it. I hope we can all always believe in The Fathers plan and commandments even when its hard. We will be greatly blessed for it.

The Following is a selection from and Ensign article that was published in 1979 by C. Kay Allen. "I’m a psychologist and a bishop of a singles branch. I’m also a husband and a father, and that means I’ve spent years becoming aware of the dimensions of the problem we call self-esteem. And that’s in addition to the time I’ve put in on myself. Every day, including most Sundays, I see people who want to be loved and to love themselves but who really aren’t doing very much to merit love.

And they feel terrible—lonely, cynical, or helpless.

And it makes me feel bad too, because I can plainly see that what they are doing and feeling moves them away from love. Since they often feel no value in themselves, they usually see little value in others. They don’t know that the self love they need to develop is not selfishness or self-centeredness; in fact, it is its opposite.

But usually they want to change and can change; and for me as a family counselor and a bishop, there’s nothing quite like the first flicker of hope that lights up their eyes when they realize they are worthwhile and that change is a possibility.

Our present feelings about ourselves were born in our intimate relationships with family and friends. But most of us face disappointment or hostility at one time or another and develop fears and self-protective reactions. And what has happened seems beyond our control.

It is true that we can’t change the past, but we can deal with the present. The question is, how do I deal with my life in a healthy and productive way now? If I don’t deal with life adequately my self-esteem is low. So my capacity to change, to bring my life under my control, becomes the key issue. That’s where self-esteem begins: with change, with the conviction that I have control over my attitudes and actions toward others.

Changes in behavior are easier to talk about than to do. One of the hard facts of life is that self-esteem comes from your ability to solve problems, not from sympathy, not from realizing that life has handed you a raw deal, and not from blaming your parents or teachers or employer. If you can’t solve problems and deal with conflict, your self-esteem is going to stay low. When we operate out of control, we have the awful feeling that circumstances control us, rather than that we control ourselves."

Satan has a good way of making us feel like we are nothing. He knows how to get us to feel down on ourselves. He knows how to place the circumstances in front of us that makes us crumble. I know this personally. I stuggle with this a lot. Satan knows Im week with my self confidence and self-esteem. I get those moods where I think Im not good enough. That I have know idea of why Im out here. But when we build our self esteem up we dont have to worry about being a failure. God loves us all so much. He wants is to be happy and have confidence in ourselves.

The Beauty of the Earth

Today as I sat in the car traveling to the other missionaries in my district to get our car back from them; I was watching the view from the window. I saw lush green trees that were thick with leaves as green as could ever be. I saw fields with corn as tall as myself and fields with soybeans that were about 7 inches above the ground. I saw countless rolling hills covered with the vegetaion and trees. I thought to myself. This is a beautiful place. Our Heavenly Father created us a beautiful place to live. I'd like share the following hymn. " For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies, for the love which from our birth over round us lies. Lord of all to thee we paraise, this our hymn of grateful praise." We have been blessed with beauty all over the earth. Each region in our country has many types of terrain that is unique to that area. When I got my mission call to Nashville I didnt think it would be this green and beautiful. I thought it was flat, hot and very dry and dead. But it isn't at all. It is some of the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen! Lots of green trees and plants and grasses galore! It has many rolling hills and little groves and is very pretty and unique.



 This is a picture of the Alaska Range that is right out the front door of my granparents house. When you step out of the door two things happen. First you hear the silence. It is dead quiet with no busy highways or interstates nearby. Second, you are over taken with a view that leaves you breathless. You have a smaller mountain range off to the left, and the Alaska Range in front of you all the way to the side of you. Then behind you, you have some rolling hills. There is so much beauty there that its hard to take it all in. It leaves your mind wanting more but you can never absorb all that there is to take in.





I hope you enjoyed some of the extra photos I added of Alaska. I just wanted to take some time to stop and ponder the beauty of the Earth. I hope that we all can take the time to stop and take in the beauty of the earth. The Lord has blessed us so much with this earth that he has created for us. I hope we can all remember to slow down and take in the scenery. I am so thankful for the earth that we have been given. I enjoy the nature so much. The earth is truley beautiful enough for me!

Matter of a Few Degrees

In the April Conference in 2008 President Uchtdorf shared the following story to us. "In 1979 a large passenger jet with 257 people on board left New Zealand for a sightseeing flight to Antarctica and back. Unknown to the pilots, however, someone had modified the flight coordinates by a mere two degrees. This error placed the aircraft 28 miles (45 km) to the east of where the pilots assumed they were. As they approached Antarctica, the pilots descended to a lower altitude to give the passengers a better look at the landscape. Although both were experienced pilots, neither had made this particular flight before, and they had no way of knowing that the incorrect coordinates had placed them directly in the path of Mount Erebus, an active volcano that rises from the frozen landscape to a height of more than 12,000 feet (3,700 m).

As the pilots flew onward, the white of the snow and ice covering the volcano blended with the white of the clouds above, making it appear as though they were flying over flat ground. By the time the instruments sounded the warning that the ground was rising fast toward them, it was too late. The airplane crashed into the side of the volcano, killing everyone on board.

It was a terrible tragedy brought on by a minor error—a matter of only a few degrees. ¹

Through years of serving the Lord and in countless interviews, I have learned that the difference between happiness and misery in individuals, in marriages, and families often comes down to an error of only a few degrees." http://lds.org/general-conference/2008/04/a-matter-of-a-few-degrees?lang=eng&query=president+uchtdorf

In our life we do things that causes us to change our course be merely a few degrees. The change at first is very small and unnoticeble. But with time it plays a great role as a consequence. See what happened. It (the plane) ended up 28 miles off course. We ahve to be able to see those mistakes and correct ourselves and/or our courses. We need to be able to detect that things are not right so that we dont have a fatality. We too are experienced pilots somtimes coming to points where we think the snow capped mountain is the clouds. But if we are ablt to respond to the warnign signals and lights we can try to corect our course and not end in a fatality. President Uchtdorf also shares this thought with us "No one wants his life to end in tragedy. But all too often, like the pilots and passengers of the sightseeing flight, we set out on what we hope will be an exciting journey only to realize too late that an error of a few degrees has set us on a course for spiritual disaster." Through Jesus Christ we can have course corrections through the process of repentence. That way we dont end in spiritual disaster. May we all remember to keep making those course corrections so we dont end with a fatality.

Amazing Grace!

This is such an awesome song. I love to listen to this one all the time. Sometimes its just because I love to hear the orchestra in the background. But whatever the reason is the message is still the best. After we have given it our best our heavenly father will make up for the rest with his grace. But we know we have to put forth the effort to atleast try to do the best we can. That doesn't give us the excuse to just do whatever we want and just say oh god will give me grace. We have to put forth the effort to try to be perfect. We know that we can never be perfect but the effort we put in will help us out. Then God will give us mercy based on the effort we have put in to trying to be perfect people. Im thankful for the grace that God has given me so far in my life. I know that he has done a lot for me so far in my life. I know that if I put in more effort that he will give me more grace.

There is Hope!

When we are going through times of trial thats when Satan can easily get us. He feeds off of us when we are lost or are struggling rally bad. He knows our weekness and knows how he can get us. His temptations turn into rails of sin. But through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can look ot the heavens and we can look to the skies. WE can find redemption starring into our eyes. That is because of th esacrifice that Jesus made for us. We can be forgiven because of him. We have to repent of the things we have done. WE have to promise not to do them again. But we can be redeemed through him. Theres victory in the Lord, cling to the Father and his holy name. We have to keep the commandsmnets that he has given us and be worthy members of his name. We have to do the things that are pleasing to him. Satan is just waiting on our hearts to say "lt me ride on that long black train." He doesn't want to work to make corrections in ourlives. He wants us to give up and get on that train and take the easy way out. "It sounds so good but i must stay away." We need to remember th is. It will always sound good to give into whatever temptation we have that might seem to bring us temporary happiness. Bu thats all it is. Temporary. We must stay away and clong to the Fathers name. In this there is peace.

Livin On A Prayer

This song has a lot of truth in the lyrics of it. It is describing a love story but deep sown in it it has another message. A message that really displays all of us found here on the earth. While here on earth "we have to hold on to what we got, it doesn't make a difference if we make it or not." We have been given the gospel and now we have to hold onto it so that Satan wont get us. He trys to get us in any possible way that he can. And by dang it he has some clever ways. However "we are half way there, livin on a prayer." Thats what we are doing. Every day we are living on a prayer. we pray in the morning and at night and however often we need to during the day. We pray to our heavenly father to give us strength and courage and peace throughout our day. Then as we pray earnestly with all our faith then god will reach down and say "take my hand we'll make it I swear." He will lift us up. He loves us and wants to help us after we have tried our best. We can pray to him always. I hope this song has helped y'all out there to see it in a different way. "Livin on a prayer!"

Praise To the Man!

Praise to his memory he died as a martyr; honored and blest be his ever great name! Long shall his blood , which was shed by assassins, Plead unto heav'n while the earth lauds his fame! 
Joseph Smith is the man who restored the church. He gave his life for this cause. His own blood and sweat to restore this church that our father in heaven has established. He will never be forgotten because of the impact that he made on the earth. Millions shall know "Brother Joseph" again. His name will be known among the World before the end of the world comes. The verse that I have written on here describes just how important he was in the use of the Lords great plan. He sacrificed everything to do the Lords will. Is it hard for us to sacrifice the small things to do the same? I look forward to the chance I will have to meet and shake his hand in the next life. I know he was called of God to restore the church. I know that he saw The Father and The Son. That everything he went through was for this cause of the church. I know his name will ever be praised! Blessed be his ever great name!

Planting the Seeds!

This is a picture of a newly planted grain field. As one looks at it, it clearly portrays how the little grain seed has sprouted underneath the soil and has started to grow up out of the soil. The result is a field filled with the light green aurora of the little blades of grain starting to grow up from the soil. Below the surface a vast system of roots are being to spread wide to retrieve the water and nutrients in the soil to provide its growth. In the next few weeks the plant will grow taller, and its roots will expound under the ground.





  Now the Wheat is "in the boot." Which means it is starting to head out. The plant has reached its potential height and the beards of grain are forming and are starting to show themselves. Now where does this all come into play as members of the church? We are the ones who are planting the seeds in the hearts of our friends, our neighbors, our co-workers, and our families. We have to be the ones who shares our thoughts, and beliefs of the gospel with them. Ask them questions that makes them reflect on the things that they believe. Or ask questions that gets them curious about the gospel. Then you have to keep watering them and give them fertilizer to help them grow better. Just like you have to do to the wheat. They then have to take time on their own to study what they have learned about for themselves. They have to pray to our loving Heavenly Father to know for themselves. But we have to continue to help them and to keep contact with them so they don't quit and die. We have to prepare them to mature.





This is the wheat in its ripe stage! See how the beards are formed. They contain the hard seed that is the kernel of the grain, the wheat kernel. That is where we have to get our investigators to. They have to get to that stage where they are ripe and hard and ready to be harvested. They need to be in that golden stage! That's when they are all ready. They have done the research on their own that has been needed to be done. They have received the personal revelation that is required of them to know for the truths themselves.



This is the end result. The grain is being harvested. All of the little grain kernels are being collected. As missionaries that's what we do. We go out and harvest and collect the kernels. We do that by baptizing by the immersion of water. That is how we collect the seeds. Now at first things might seem smaller but in time they add up. Look at how many members of the church there are. Over 14 million members. Thats a lot of kernels collected. May we be more diligent in preparing our friends, neighbors, and co-workers for the gospel so that the missionaries out there in the world can do the harvest that they have been called to do.

Son of Man

"On this journey that you're making, there will be answers that you'll seek, and its you who'll climb the mountain, its you who'll reach the peak." This life is a journey that we are all making as an individual person. Heavenly Father has put us here to be tested. We have to climb the mountain. We are the ones who will make it to the peak. Wheres the peak though? I feel that the peak is actually back in the presence of our Heavenly Father who resides in heaven.
       "But with faith and understanding, you'll journey from boy to man." Faith is the first principle of the gospel. We have to have faith in Jesus Christ. He is the one who has made it possable for us to return to our loving Heavenly Father. We couldn't do it without him.
      "In learning you will teach and in teaching you will learn. You'll find your place beside the Ones you love.
      " What a great phrase. As we are children being taught by our parents we learn to do the things that we are to be doing as members of the church. They teach the things that we need to know about Jesus Christ and the gospel. But as we teach the kids that we have we continue to learn ourselves. Its a never ending chain of learning!
        "The time is drawing near now Its yours to claim it all." The time is drawing near. We are in the last days that have been prophesied of. Its our time to claim it all. We can have it all if we are baptized by water and by the Holy Ghost. Then we have to remain worthy by keeping the commandments of the Lord. If we do this then we can remain worthy of all our Father has to offer us. I know that this is true.

A Wonderful World!!

This song is such an amazing peice of inspiration to me. Really take the time to reflect on the words that it says. "I see skies of blue...clouds of white...bright blessed days...dark sacred nights... and i think to myself what a wonderful world." Heavenly Father blessed us with this wonderful world. I think to often our society takes this wonderful world for granted. I walked out the door today and just couldn't help but think what a beautiful area that Nashville area is. It is so green and has lots of rolling hills. It makes me realize the beauty of the area I have been put into. I wish ya'll could be here right now to see it. It is such a pretty place. Im so blessed to be in this area. It truely is one step closer to heaven. I sure am enjoying it here.